# Sign Regulations in Windham Town, Maine

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Windham Town, Maine, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Windham Town, Maine (ME)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/maine/windham-town
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/37096346#37096346)

## At a glance

Windham Town, Maine regulates 32 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3), Village Commercial District (VC) zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall, 100 sq ft (up to 150 sq ft for more than 10 tenants; see Additional Requirements), and 16 ft wide, with a 50 ft from residential/farm districts setback (Sec. § 120-706A(3,5), § 120-706D(1-4,6)). Most commercial signs in Windham Town require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Farm District (F), Farm Residential District (FR), Rural District (RL), Residential Medium Density District (RM) | 12 | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3), Village Commercial District (VC) | 12 | 20 ft | 100 sq ft per tenant sign | — |
| Industrial District (I) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Enterprise Development District (ED) | 3 | — | 60 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts (all residential districts) | 2 | 6 ft (freestanding sign) | 32 sq ft (aggregate of all signs); no freestanding sign over 24 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Farm District (F), Farm Residential District (FR), Rural District (RL), Residential Medium Density District (RM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (Temporary) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | One per lot or building per street frontage | Attached to a building or freestanding, on premises being advertised | — | § 120-705A(1) |
| Development/Construction Sign (Temporary) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Attached to a building or freestanding | — | § 120-705B |
| Home Occupation Identification Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On premises | — | § 120-705D |
| Directional Sign | 7 ft | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | At driveway locations | — | § 120-705F |
| Farm/Forestry Product Sign | — | 32 sq ft (total for both signs) | — | — | 2 | On premises advertising products produced there | — | § 120-705G |
| Residential Subdivision Sign (Freestanding) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per subdivision entrance | At each entrance to subdivision | — | § 120-705K |
| On-Premises Sign (Commercial/Recreational Use) | Freestanding: 6 ft | 32 sq ft aggregate (total of no more than three signs) | Freestanding: 5 ft | — | 3 (two affixed, one freestanding) | Two affixed to building, one freestanding | — | § 120-708A |
| Banner (Business Use, Non-Home Occupation) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Affixed to building | — | § 120-708B |

### Commercial District (C-1, C-2, C-3), Village Commercial District (VC)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign (Temporary) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One per frontage | Attached to building or freestanding, on premises | — | § 120-705A(2) |
| Development/Construction Sign (Temporary) | — | 32 sq ft (C-1, C-2, C-3, VC), ED up to 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Attached to building or freestanding | — | § 120-705B |
| Wall Sign (Single Use/Principal Use) | — | 10% of wall area or 100 sq ft (greater applies) | — | — | One per principal use | Affixed to exterior wall of building | — | § 120-706A(1), § 120-706A(5)(b) |
| Wall Sign (Multiple Tenants) | — | 100 sq ft per tenant sign | — | — | One per tenant | Affixed to exterior wall | — | § 120-706A(2), § 120-706A(5)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | 100 sq ft (up to 150 sq ft for more than 10 tenants; see Additional Requirements) | 16 ft | 50 ft from residential/farm districts | 1 per premises; 1 per frontage if 2 frontages; up to 2 if >400 ft frontage; see also regulations for commercial subdivision signs | On premises (see Setback Requirements) | — | § 120-706A(3,5), § 120-706D(1-4,6) |
| Roof Sign | Max height above eave or flat roofline: 4 ft; not higher than 20 ft from ground | 100 sq ft per tenancy | — | — | One per tenancy if wall sign not utilized | — | — | § 120-706A(5), § 120-706D(5) |
| Banner | — | Total 64 sq ft per building (or 32 sq ft per business within multi-tenant building) | — | — | Max two per building (one business); one per business (multi-tenant) | Firmly affixed to building | — | § 120-706A(4) |
| Commercial Subdivision Sign (Freestanding) | — | 32 sq ft (at least 10% for subdivision name), see also directory sign to 60 sq ft (ED only) | — | Setbacks required except from interior lines/areas within subdivision | Max two per subdivision (one per arterial, collector, or controlled access entrance) | At/near driveway or street entrance from arterial, collector, or controlled access street | — | § 120-706F(2-8) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | 7 ft | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | At driveway locations, ingress/egress | — | § 120-705F |
| Gasoline Price Sign | 2 ft (numerals) | — | — | — | One per road fronted | At established retail sales outlet | — | § 120-705I |
| Building Directory Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On premises, identifying occupants | — | § 120-705H |
| Temporary Sign (Advertising; Business Use) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One per premises | On premises of legally permissible business | — | § 120-710B |
| Categorical Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 120-709C |
| Official Business Directional Sign (Off-Premises) | — | — | — | — | 2 | Off-premises, as permitted by 23 M.R.S.A. | — | § 120-709A |
| Special Intracommunity Service Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 120-709D |
| Point of Interest Sign (Off-Premises) | — | 32 sq ft per sign | — | — | 4 | — | — | § 120-709B |

## Prohibited signs in Windham Town

- No sign shall project over a public right-of-way.
- No sign shall have visible moving parts, blinking, moving or glaring illumination.
- Banners, pennants, ribbons, streamers, spinners or other similar devices that contain advertisements are prohibited except as specifically provided.
- A string of lights shall not be used for the purpose of advertising or attracting attention as an integral part of a permitted sign.
- Billboards are prohibited in all zones.
- No banners, streamers, pennants, ribbons, spinners or similar devices shall be constructed or erected within or over a public way without approval from the Code Enforcement Officer.
- No freestanding sign shall be erected in a floodplain.
- No on-premises signs shall be permitted within the full width of the right-of-way of any public way.
- On-premises signs shall not be permitted for any business which has not been conducted on the premises for a period of one year or longer.
- Signs located on registered and inspected motor vehicles or trailers which are determined by the Code Enforcement Officer to be circumventing the intent of this chapter are prohibited.
- All exterior inflatable advertising signs are prohibited.
- Every sign must be maintained in a safe, presentable, and good structural condition, and any sign which is a hazard, abandoned, or without permit may be removed by the Town at owner's expense.
- No sign shall be permitted which causes a traffic, health, welfare or safety hazard or results in a nuisance due to illumination, placement, display, or construction.

## Signs exempt from permit in Windham Town

- Murals are exempt from the restrictions of this article, except that: if the mural contains commercial text, logos, or symbols, it is considered building-mounted signage and is subject to applicable requirements; if a mural pertains to the business on which it is located, it counts as one sign; murals must not create an unreasonable distraction for drivers as determined by the Code Enforcement Officer; and the appropriate building permit must be issued if required.
- Categorical signs as defined by 23 M.R.S.A. § 1913-A are permitted in any zone without permit except as otherwise provided.
- Special intracommunity service signs as permitted by policy of the Maine Department of Transportation shall be permitted in any zone without permit.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 6 zoning districts in Windham Town — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Windham+Town+ME&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-windham-town

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